Uber service suspended in Canada after Taxi drivers protest at Montreal airport

Updated: February 11, 2016 1:31 pm

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre decided to instate a temporary pause of the ride-sharing service Uber after hundreds of taxi drivers protested against the service destroying their business at Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport in Montreal on Wednesday. Protesters attempted to block the roads leading to the airport under police watch, who ensured access routes to the airport were kept open. The taxi drivers carried banners and spoke out against the US-based ride-sharing service, claiming that it is taking businesses away from them unfairly. According to a protester and self-appointed ‘Sheriff of taxi drivers,’ the Quebec Premier “Mr. Couillard has to resign. It’s a scandal, he has to resign,” while another taxi driver at the protest added “Uber is an american company and Mr Couillard is selling Quebec to the Americans.” For the last two years Uber has become the most popular taxi-ordering application for mobile platforms. Traditional taxi services world-wide have complained that the company is competing unfairly and that governments are doing little to stop the mobile taxi platform’s effect on inner city transport.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre decided to instate a temporary pause of the ride-sharing service Uber after hundreds of taxi drivers protested against the service destroying their business at Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport in Montreal on Wednesday. Protesters attempted to block the roads leading to the airport under police watch, who ensured access routes to the airport were kept open. The taxi drivers carried banners and spoke out against the US-based ride-sharing service, claiming that it is taking businesses away from them unfairly. According to a protester and self-appointed 'Sheriff of taxi drivers,' the Quebec Premier "Mr. Couillard has to resign. It's a scandal, he has to resign," while another taxi driver at the protest added "Uber is an american company and Mr Couillard is selling Quebec to the Americans." For the last two years Uber has become the most popular taxi-ordering application for mobile platforms. Traditional taxi services world-wide have complained that the company is competing unfairly and that governments are doing little to stop the mobile taxi platform's effect on inner city transport.